Broadheads for moose

Crossbow Hunting

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Rogue_wave
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Broadheads for moose

Post by Rogue_wave »

Hi all and thanks to all who reply. Going Moose hunting again this year. After a not so good year last year, this year is shaping up good. we have a bull, cow and the rest are calf tags. Two years ago we shot a young bull on the first morning. The broadhead was a Rage crossbow two blade mechanical. There was less than three drops of blood from where it was hit, 27 yds, to where it was found, about 80 yds. It appeared that the blades did fully deploy. What heads are members on this board using? I have been using boltcutters out of my vortex and Nap thunderheads out of my compound. I have nothing bad to say about the boltcutters, just looking for a bigger cutting diameter. I just can't seem to get the 125 grn thunderheads to fly well out of the crossbow.

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Normous
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Normous »

Although I never arrowed a moose I always felt confident using my Excalibur and arrows tipped with Slick Trick Magnums. This broadhead has been responsible for many moose harvests because of quality and a sharp reputation for durability with good flight characteristics all around.

The Quad Exodus makes a fine bulletproof broadhead that you could factor into your choices as well.

EDIT: I might add that since I joined this forum I noticed Thunderheads broadheads giving most shooters fits.
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Hunt it
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Hunt it »

My group has 30 archery bulls to date. 1st item is check the regs but there is NO calf season during archery season that I'm aware of in Ontario. You can hunt with bow in late gun season when calf season is open.
We will not allow anyone to use expandables on our moose hunt. That should give you a good idea of what we think of them. Out guys are using: Bolt Cutters, Slick Tricks and G5 Strikers. As you have discovered the good old Thunderheads are not accurate out of fast new crossbows. I can get 3" groups out to 100yrds with my 380 using G5 Strikers. You do not need a bigger cutting blade if you put it in the right place. The rib bones on moose combined with thick skin/hair are too much for expandables to get good penetration, avoid them at all cost.
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by longbow joe »

Only killed a few bear no moose but im sure any good fixed blade .boltcutter .slicks etc. With a nice 110 grain (heavy) brass insert would be deadly. That person killed a giant moose with a vixen but l think l would pick at least a 330 or bigger to be more confident.
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by paulaboutform »

Go into YouTube and punch in 'Toxic Broadhead moose kill' and check it out. I've had great success with the toxics and prefer the 100gr models over the 125gr. Any of the above mentioned broadheads are also excellent choices.

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munch
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by munch »

I use slick tricks with good luck but if your on the ground lots of times you shoot high and the exit hole is the same as the entrance . The whole chest has to fill before the blood will come out in a lot of cases .
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Farmer
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Farmer »

Currently shooting Ram Cat 125 , fly like darts out of my 380 . Using a zombie slayer arrow at 18 inches 110 grain inset and 2 inch blazers . I like that it is all SS and 1.5 inch cut diameter . As Norm said QAD Exodus is another good choice.
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by maine hunter »

I'm going this September, going to use g5 strikers and my 355 matrix. Can't wait :D
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Tom »

munch wrote:I use slick tricks with good luck but if your on the ground lots of times you shoot high and the exit hole is the same as the entrance . The whole chest has to fill before the blood will come out in a lot of cases .
I have talked with many different hunters about archery moose hunting. The common statements is, if your hunting from the ground, you will not get much of a blood trail as your entrance and exit holes are higher then deer, also their cavity is much larger and takes longer to fill for blood to come out the holes. They also said that after a good hit, just sit tight, most times a moose will not run away, but stay right there untill they expire.

Tom
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Rogue_wave
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Rogue_wave »

Hunt it wrote:My group has 30 archery bulls to date. 1st item is check the regs but there is NO calf season during archery season that I'm aware of in Ontario. You can hunt with bow in late gun season when calf season is open.
We will not allow anyone to use expandables on our moose hunt. That should give you a good idea of what we think of them. Out guys are using: Bolt Cutters, Slick Tricks and G5 Strikers. As you have discovered the good old Thunderheads are not accurate out of fast new crossbows. I can get 3" groups out to 100yrds with my 380 using G5 Strikers. You do not need a bigger cutting blade if you put it in the right place. The rib bones on moose combined with thick skin/hair are too much for expandables to get good penetration, avoid them at all cost.

Yes, should have mentioned that while we have some calf tags we will not be able to shoot any. So in fact they are really a licence without a tag. It's too bad about the Thunderheads as I have been using them for years on deer with exceptional results.
Rogue_wave
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Rogue_wave »

Tom wrote:
munch wrote:I use slick tricks with good luck but if your on the ground lots of times you shoot high and the exit hole is the same as the entrance . The whole chest has to fill before the blood will come out in a lot of cases .
I have talked with many different hunters about archery moose hunting. The common statements is, if your hunting from the ground, you will not get much of a blood trail as your entrance and exit holes are higher then deer, also their cavity is much larger and takes longer to fill for blood to come out the holes. They also said that after a good hit, just sit tight, most times a moose will not run away, but stay right there untill they expire.

Tom
Hi Tom, you raise a very good point. we hunt from the ground, so it makes very good sense that until the cavity fills there would be very little blood. I still would have thought that there would have been at least some spray from the entrance/exit hole.
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by xcaliber »

I have had very good luck with Thunderheads, and often go back to them for one reason or another. I have found them to be accurate of the years with crossbows at 355 FPS and less. Never hunted moose, but I sure wish you success with whatever you heads you choose. Good news is that there are a lot of good fixed blades to choose from.
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CT.HNTR
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by CT.HNTR »

I have found the newer 100 grain Thunderhead Razors with off-set blades to be extremely accurate even out of my Bulldog 400. I can shoot 1.50 inch groups at 40 yards with them and the POI is within 2.00 of field points at 40 yards.

The Razors have a shorter more streamlined profile and fly great.
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Ontario Savage »

I like slick tricks and had them serve me well
What wmu are you headed up to?
Best of luck on the moose hunt!
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Re: Broadheads for moose

Post by Tom »

Rogue_wave wrote:
Tom wrote:
munch wrote:I use slick tricks with good luck but if your on the ground lots of times you shoot high and the exit hole is the same as the entrance . The whole chest has to fill before the blood will come out in a lot of cases .
I have talked with many different hunters about archery moose hunting. The common statements is, if your hunting from the ground, you will not get much of a blood trail as your entrance and exit holes are higher then deer, also their cavity is much larger and takes longer to fill for blood to come out the holes. They also said that after a good hit, just sit tight, most times a moose will not run away, but stay right there untill they expire.

Tom
Hi Tom, you raise a very good point. we hunt from the ground, so it makes very good sense that until the cavity fills there would be very little blood. I still would have thought that there would have been at least some spray from the entrance/exit hole.
Most would agree with you, me included but and archery exit is not as vast as a bullet exit. The moose hide is thick and the hair is long and coarse. I believe the most of the blood that comes out gets trapped in the hair. But a downward hole always seems to get a good trail. I almost always hunt moose from the ground as it gives more mobility.

Again, I believe the best advice I have received for archery moose is to sit tight and let (watch) the moose expire.

Tom
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